What’s On This Weekend In Sydney
Lizzie Scorer
Contributor | Urban List, Sydney, NSW
Eloise Luke
Deputy Editor (Local Markets) | Urban List
Looking for the best things to do in Sydney/Eora this weekend? There's never a shortage of exciting activities in Sydney to keep your calendar full.
Whether you want to scratch that clothes-shopping itch, settle in with a spritz, look for foodie feed, check out cool art or groove to DJ beats—we reckon you'll find something here to keep you occupied.
Here's what's on this weekend in Sydney.
Rice Porridge, Karaoke And Community Care Are Coming Together At This All-Ages Pop-Up
Nongkrong Festival And Season | Sunday 30 August
Image credit: nongkrongfest | Instagram
Gotong Royong translates to “working together for a shared purpose”, and this all-ages pop-up is putting that idea into practice through the humble bowl of rice porridge. Nongkrong is bringing together four chefs from Indonesian, Filipina and Vietnamese diasporas to serve their own takes on the comforting dish, with 100 per cent of proceeds going towards mutual aid. There’ll also be free karaoke on the day, so grab a nourishing bowl and settle in for a hearty singalong.
Two Slices Are Slinging Matcha And Jocks In Collaboration With Jockey
Two Slices Bondi | Friday 28 August—Sunday 6 September
Image credit: Two Slices | Instagram
Underwear and matcha might not be the most obvious pairing, but Jockey and Two Slices are making a pretty convincing case. The two are teaming up on a limited-edition Jockey Matcha, giving the usual green sip a very blue makeover with a spirulina, honey and coconut water foam.
To celebrate the launch, the first 100 customers through the doors at Two Slices Scarborough from 8am this Friday will score the Jockey Matcha for free, along with a Jockey Travel Bag and exclusive voucher. Miss the first 100? The blue-topped creation will stick around until Sunday 6 September, with an exclusive Jockey voucher thrown in with every purchase. Set the alarm accordingly.
Plate It Forward Is Throwing A Laneway BBQ Party To Celebrate One Million Meals Donated
Kyiv Social Laneway, Sydney | Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Plate It Forward | Supplied
Plate It Forward has officially hit an incredible milestone: one million meals donated. Behind every single one is a community of team members, volunteers, partners and donors, along with every guest who has dined, catered or booked an event across its venues. To celebrate, the Sydney social enterprise is bringing everyone together for one very big party in the Kyiv Social laneway this Sunday, with an impressive line-up of chefs and hospitality names firing up the BBQ, including Mitch Orr, Darryl Martin of Watermans, Brendan King of Derrel's, NipCooks, Serwan Roman and Andrew Vu of Roman's Deli, alongside the women of Kabul Social. Expect ice-cold beers from Young Henrys, good music and plenty of good times as Plate It Forward looks back on its first million meals, and forward to the next.
Read more
This Rooftop Bar Is Throwing A Free Marathon After-Party 32 Floors Above The Harbour
Aster Rooftop Bar | Sunday 30 August, 5pm–10pm
Image credit: Aster | Supplied
Once you've crossed the finish line, the real celebration kicks off at Aster. Just moments from the marathon route, this rooftop bar is teaming up with Stylerunner for an after-party 32 floors above the harbour, with a DJ set, recovery-inspired cocktails, a carb-loaded menu and views across the Sydney skyline to match. Entry is free and open to runners, supporters and anyone keen to make the most of marathon weekend, with the first 60 guests through the door scoring a Stylerunner merch bag.
Serva Coffee's Second Home Is Serving Up Maple Banana Cold Brew
Image credit: Serva Coffee | Instagram
The team behind Serva Coffee's beloved Seaforth original has landed a second site in Freshwater, and the menu is worth the trip alone. Order the maple banana cold brew — a smooth, subtly sweet number that layers maple and ripe banana through cold brew for something far more interesting than your average iced coffee. Grab one and settle in at the new digs while you're at it.
Brooks Hyperion House
HarbourWatch Cafe, Darling Harbour | Wednesday 26—Monday 31 August
Brooks Hyperion House is stepping up from last year's house boat activation with an additional on land hub in Darling Harbour including six jam-packed days of race-themed events. In celebration of the race day, this premium pop-up runner’s hub is here to help you get race-day ready. Expect community shakeout runs, athlete appearances, glam stations and exclusive merch for marathon participants and supporters alike. And the fun doesn’t stop after the finish line. Harbour cruises on the Hyperion Houseboat and complimentary medal engraving and a recovery lounge for the post-race comedown.
Market City Is Hosting A Free Badminton Festival This Weekend
Market City, Haymarket | Until Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Market City | Supplied
Looking for a free activity to keep the kids entertained this weekend? Market City in Haymarket is transforming Level 1 into a badminton court for a free, all-ages festival running until Sunday 30 August. No gear or experience is needed, with daily free-play sessions, a seven-minute shuttlecock machine challenge and live demonstrations from professional badminton and para-badminton players. The festival will also feature a full-size badminton court in the shopping centre's central atrium from Thursday, as Market City celebrates an Australian Book of Records attempt for the first sports festival in the Southern Hemisphere to set up a full-size badminton court inside a shopping mall.
Festival Of Dangerous Ideas Returns To Sydney
Multiple venues, Sydney | Thursday 20–Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Festival of Dangerous Ideas | Supplied
Australia's Festival of Dangerous Ideas is back for its 13th edition, bringing world-leading speakers including Cory Doctorow, Pussy Riot's Maria Alyokhina, Peter Beinart, Glenn Loury and Maria Ressa to Sydney for 10 days of talks, world-premiere art and taboo film. Presented by The Ethics Centre, this year's program tackles hatred, belonging, nationhood, conspiracy and faith, with the main festival weekend taking over Carriageworks on 22–23 August before expanding across Sydney Town Hall and other major cultural institutions.
Cake & Cocktails At Black Star Pastry
Black Star Pastry, Newtown | From Saturday 22 August
Image credit: Black Star Pastry | Supplied
Black Star Pastry is taking its Newtown store into the evening with a new Cake & Cocktail experience launching this Saturday. Signature slices like the Strawberry Watermelon Cake and Chocolate Oasis Cake are paired with bespoke cocktails built to match, available as a $99 guided Flight Experience across three cakes and three cocktails, or as $35 Signature Pairings if you'd rather pick your own adventure. There's a snack menu to go with it too, from mini Japanese Chicken Pies to yuzu salt popcorn, so you can make a proper night of it.
Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival
Auburn Botanic Gardens | Saturday 22–Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Cumberland Council
The Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival returns to Auburn Botanic Gardens this August, turning the leafy oasis (home to the largest crop of cherry blossom trees in the Southern Hemisphere) into a sea of pink blossom and Japanese-inspired entertainment for nine days. More than 200 cherry blossom trees will be in full bloom, with visitors invited to wander the Cherry Blossom Trail (a 30-minute stroll or a shorter express route), snap photos beneath the Cherry Arbour and torii gate, then settle in for workshops, performances and plenty of good food.
Expect a Zen Zone, guided shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) walks, daily origami workshops and Japanese tea ceremonies.
Woodfired Harbour Sauna At Barangaroo
Barangaroo | Now until Sunday 28 September
Image credit: Cedar & Salt Sauna | Supplied
Cedar & Salt Sauna has set up a Nordic-inspired woodfired sauna right on Sydney Harbour, and it might just be the best way to get through the rest of winter. The timber-crafted sauna is built for shared sessions, so round up a few mates or make it a corporate wellness outing, and settle in for 10 to 15 minutes of heat before cooling off with a plunge at nearby Marrinawi Cove. Repeat the cycle a few times and you'll walk away with all the benefits of proper hot-and-cold contrast therapy, plus a solid dose of harbour views along the way.
Get Race-Week Ready With lululemon
Sydney CBD + Primhaus, Darlinghurst | Wednesday 26–Sunday 30 August
Ahead of the big race, lululemon is bringing a line-up of free activations to Sydney, including a Print Shop at Pitt Street Mall where you can customise your running kit with bespoke graphics and Sydney 2026 designs, plus a Record Shop at Primhaus in Darlinghurst with DJs, coffee and custom record sleeves.
There are also two programmed events across the weekend: a Friday session with music curator Derrick Gee and lululemon Ambassador Ryan Mannix exploring music and mindset, plus a Saturday morning Shakeout hosted by Katie Martin featuring Cosmo’s Midnight. Whether you're running, cheering or simply here for the race-week energy, consider your pre-race plans sorted.
Jazz Sundays At The Apollo
19 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction | (Note: check venue address) — Every Sunday, 16 August – 25 October
Image credit: Apollo | Supplied
Apollo's monthly jazz lunch has had a promotion, now running every Sunday from August 16 through to October 25. Renamed Jazz Sundays, it brings live jazz and a long lunch to Potts Point from 12 to 4pm each week. Guests can go for the Jazz Sundays menu at $95 per person, complete with a curated off-menu cocktail on arrival and Apollo favourites like signature saganaki and slow-cooked lamb shoulder, or stick with the à la carte and banquet menus. Perfect for a lazy Sunday with friends, or a family lunch that runs long.
Friends Of The Clock
The Clock Hotel, Surry Hills | Friday 1 August–Sunday 31 August
Image credit: The Clock | Supplied
The Clock is once again celebrating the best of Surry Hills with the return of Friends Of The Clock, a month-long collaboration spotlighting some of the neighbourhood's favourite producers. This year's limited-edition menu sees the pub partner with Tonton Bread, Bourke Street Bakery and Veneziano Coffee to create exclusive food and drinks available all day throughout August.
Highlights include a meatball focaccia pocket served on Tonton Bread's freshly baked focaccia, fried popcorn chicken with Bourke Street Bakery's signature hot sauce and pickles, and an Italian hazelnut tiramisu infused with Veneziano Coffee. Behind the bar, expect playful cocktails like the berry-forward Pump Up The Jam and the indulgent Veneziano Coffee Club Martini.
Manteiga Nights
Manteiga, Darlinghurst | Fridays and Saturdays from 8 August
Image credit: Mantiega | Supplied
Justin Martins (ex. Bentley, Est. Restaurant, Dinner by Heston) is taking his Darlinghurst café into the evening with Manteiga Nights, a contemporary spin on Portuguese cuisine running every Friday and Saturday from 8 August.
Expect charcoal-grilled dishes, Portuguese classics reinterpreted through a modern lens, and a drinks list built around Portuguese-inspired cocktails, including a Portuguese Tart Martini. Desserts lean into the theatrical, with a reimagined Pastéis de Nata and a Madeira Bombe Alaska, all served in a dim-lit, long-dinner setting with traditional music.
Darlo Sake Nights At Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar
Darlinghurst | Every Thursday, 5–6pm
Image credit: Itadakimasu | Instagram
Darlo Sake Nights at Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar (from the team behind cult sandwich shop Sandoitchi) runs a guided tasting through three rotating sakes, led by a sake sommelier who'll talk you through the stories and flavours behind each pour. Food comes along for the ride too, with crispy chicken karaage, onigiri, fresh salad and a special soup rounding out the $49 introductory offer. It's the Japanese equivalent of a Friday knock-off drink, just moved a day earlier and done properly.
The Dog House
The Netwown Hotel, 174 King Street, Newtown | Friday 14 August to Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Sheep Dog | Supplied
PB&J cocktails, whiskey ice cream affogatos, a fun photobooth, dog-friendly dining offers, a giant treat dispenser, and more are popping up at The Newtown Hotel for a limited time to launch Sheep Dog’s new Peanut Butter & Jelly Whiskey.
Inspired by the iconic combo, there’ll be themed cocktails like the Good Boy, blending the new whiskey with oat milk, vanilla and a jam-and-crushed-peanut rim, and the That A Girl Wooftini, a spin on everyone’s fave espresso martini. For something even more extra, go for the Woofagato: a mini Sheep Dog Peanut Butter & Jelly whiskey drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
Throughout the takeover, enjoy Yappy Hour daily with $15 Sheep Dog cocktails, $10 Sheep Dogs shots and $12 Woofogatos from 5pm to 7pm, plus there’s a full program of events like Monday Quiz Nights, Dine With Your Dog Wednesdays, Drag Bingo on Fridays and DOGUE, a doggy salon pop-up on Thursday 20 and Thursday 27 August.
Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival
West HQ | Sunday 2 – Monday 31 August
Image credit: Western Sydney Oyster Festival | Supplied
Western Sydney is staking its claim as an unlikely seafood capital, with the Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival returning to West HQ for a bigger, month-long run. What started in 2023 as celebrity chef Sean Connolly's push to make oysters more accessible has grown into a serious institution, with over 300,000 oysters served to date and another 100,000 expected this year. Expect celebrated chefs, Australian oyster growers and seafood producers, live demos and family entertainment, all built around making premium seafood feel a lot less intimidating and a lot more affordable. It's clearly working too, with visitors travelling from 25km+ away up 18.8% in 2024 and a further 15.1% in 2025.
Elliott's First Birthday Celebration
Elliott's, Rozelle | Every Wednesday & Thursday In August
Image credit: Elliotts | Instagram
Turning one calls for more than just cake, so Elliott's is celebrating with 40% off everything on the menu every Wednesday and Thursday throughout August. That's food, wine, cocktails and everything in between, making it the perfect excuse to revisit one of Rozelle's neighbourhood favourites or finally tick it off your list. Consider it your sign to book that midweek dinner you've been talking about.
Brassaï: Secret Paris At Heide Museum Of Modern Art
Heide Museum of Modern Art | Until 15 November 2026
Heide Museum of Modern Art has unveiled Brassaï: Secret Paris, the most comprehensive survey of the Hungarian-born French photographer's work ever seen in Australia, and his first solo exhibition in the country in over five decades.
Co-curated by Heide Artistic Director Lesley Harding, Philippe Ribeyrolles (manager and curator of the Estate Brassaï and the artist's nephew), and French photography curator Emmanuelle de l'Ecotais, the exhibition brings together more than 150 original vintage prints capturing Paris in the 1930s. Expect Brassaï's atmospheric night photography, his experiments with Surrealism, hallmark images of early Parisian graffiti, and intimate portraits from his inner circle, including decades of photographs made in Pablo Picasso's studio, alongside Salvador Dalí, Henry Miller and cabaret singer Kiki de Montparnasse.
You might also like
Aria Snack Bar
Aria Restaurant Sydney, 1 Macquarie Street, Sydney CBD | Daily
Image credit: Aria Restaurant Sydney | Supplied
Sydney Harbour’s refined waterfront restaurant, Aria, has introduced a bougie-on-a-budget bar menu perfect for late-night dining. Highlights include a $26 Wagyu smash burger with Section 28 cheese and beer onions, $12 tuna tartare with white soy and chives, plus a $45 cheese platter with four premium Australian cheeses and seasonal pairings. Walk-ins are welcome any time, or book online daily from 8pm.
Cold Dip Club Sydney
Coogee Beach | Every Wednesday, July–August
Image credit: Cold Dip Club | Supplied
If you're keen to romanticise winter instead of hiding from it, Cold Dip Club Sydney is back. The Copenhagen-born community returns to Coogee Beach this July and August, inviting Sydneysiders to swap the snooze button for a 6:30am sunrise plunge.
Held every Wednesday morning, the free community dip is all about embracing cold-water swimming with a crowd before thawing out over a $2 coffee from nearby Bathers Coogee. Last year's sessions regularly drew more than 50 people, proving winter wellness is better with company.
Whether you're a seasoned cold-plunger or simply curious about the hype, it's an easy way to start your day—preferably with warm hands wrapped around a coffee afterwards.
Mechelle Bounpraseuth ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou
Art Gallery NSW, Naala Nura Building Lower Level 2 | Until February 2027
Image credit: Art Gallery Of NSW | Installation view of the exhibition Mechelle Bounpraseuth: ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, artworks © the artist
Ceramic Indomie, Sriracha and mangosteens are taking over the Art Gallery of NSW and best believe you'll want to mark this one down in your calendar. In Sou Sou (a Lao phrase of encouragement that kind of means 'keep going', 'stay strong' or 'you can do it'), Mechelle Bounpraseuth scales up a stack of everyday pantry staples and fruit into glossy, hand-built forms with an exhibition that leans hard into the rituals around her family table, pulling from Lao heritage to frame food as something deeper than sustenance.
This one is definitely an all-ages affair where visitors can gather on floor mats, leave offerings at a fruit shrine, or add to shelves of reimagined canned goods—a cool way of showcasing how these small acts echo how culture gets passed down, held and reshaped.
Now, fill your calendar with
- 50 Of The Absolute Best Things To Do In Sydney
- Sydney's Best Walks To Do In 2026
- The Best Restaurants In Sydney Right Now
Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
Moussaka Thursdays At Etheus
Bondi Pavilion, Shop 4 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
Image credit: Etheus | Supplied
Anchored around Etheus' claypot moussaka—a generous serving of slow-cooked ground beef, eggplant, and potato baked over open flame—Moussaka Thursdays at Etheus are worth booking in for an end of week feast.
Alongside the main event, you'll be able to indulge in Greek-style sides like their grilled pita with oregano and Greek olive oil, fava split pea with pickled onion and sumac, taramosalata whipped with cod's roe and dill, and a maroulosalata of iceberg, lemon dressing and kefalotiri.
Duke’s After Hours: Adult Happy Meal
109 Cronulla Street, Cronulla | Sundays
Image credit: Duke's Providore | Instagram
Forget sad Sunday scaries—Duke’s After Hours is giving Sydneysiders something much better to look forward to. Available on Sunday nights only for $50pp, the venue’s limited-edition “Adult Happy Meal” bundles together a three-course Italian feast and a glass of wine for a fraction of what you’d normally expect to pay.
The menu starts with a cacio e pepe croquette before moving onto pan-fried lasagne layered with slow-cooked ragù, finishing with a praline tiramisu for dessert. To wash it all down, you’ll score a glass of either Mario Primo Chianti or Rosetta Toscana Bianco, making this one of the city’s most tempting end-of-week treats.
Harbourside Cinema By Pier One
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Walsh Bay | Until Wednesday 30 September
Image credit: Pier One | Supplied
Movie night just got a harbour-view upgrade. Pier One Sydney Harbour is turning its Sunset Balcony Suite into a private open-air cinema this winter, complete with blankets, waterfront views and a custom movie-night trolley.
Launching from 11 May, Harbourside Cinema lets guests choose their own film before settling in beneath the Harbour Bridge with frozen yoghurt, popcorn and an outdoor screen overlooking Luna Park and Walsh Bay. There’s also an optional comfort-food menu featuring things like gourmet hot dogs, loaded fries, cheeseboards and Wagyu burgers if you're leaning into the full night-in energy.
The experience is designed for date nights, celebrations and group hangs, with room for up to eight guests.
Cronulla Street Photobooth
1-7 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Image credit: Cronulla Street Photobooth | Instagram
If you've got a special moment coming up, or are just keen to have a spontaneous day our, Cronulla Street Photobooth is ready and waiting to immortalise your day in film. This vintage-inspired booth is a recent addition to the local area, and well worth the potential lines. It's just $8 for three photos and two strips (pocket money, really), and a great way to add a bit of whimsy to your weekend.
Attenzione! Sunday Jazz & Dine Night
180 Redfern Street, Redfern | Sundays
Image credit: Attenzione! | Instagram
For a swish night out in Redfern backed by the soothing sounds of sax, dip into Attenzione! Food & Wine. The crew rounds out the week with a Jazz & Dine Night every Sunday. Think pizza fritta, sauce-slicked pasta and a top-tier wine list with the mood set by The Square, playing two sets at 6pm and 8pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are recommended.
Macquarie Ice Rink
Corner of Herring Road and Waterloo Road, North Ryde | Open daily
Image credit: Macquarie Ice Rink | Supplied
With the heat dialled all the way up this summer, Macquarie Ice Rink’s re-opening couldn’t have come at a better time. An inner-city institution since 1981, the Olympic-sized rink spent most of 2025 undergoing a multi-million-dollar glow-up—and now it’s officially back. Expect a pristine new ice surface, slick tech upgrades and modern amenities.
They also have a disco session every Friday and Saturday night from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Including skate hire, all session tickets are $32 for adults, $29 for students, $28 for children under 16 years and $12 for children under 5 years with a paying adult.
The Grifter Brewing Co. Happy Hour
1/391–397 Enmore Road, Marrickville | Wednesdays–Fridays, 4pm–6pm
Image credit: The Grifter Brewing Co. | Instagram
Dialling up the summer vibes, The Grifter Brewing Co. has rolled out a sunny happy hour to celebrate the expansion of their solar power setup. The Marrickville legends are slinging $7 cold schooners and $10 chilled wines at their tasting bar from Wednesday to Friday between 4pm and 6pm.
Arms Length Bar’s Weekend Specials
7 Kellett Street, Potts Point | Friday–Sunday, 12pm until late
Image credit: Arms Length Bar | Instagram
Arms Length is bringing special after special, including their Sunday $2 Oysters and discounted Lo Fi wines to amplify those end-of-week afternoons. Seated outdoors among fairy-light wrapped branches, share as many freshly shucked oysters as your heart desires while your wallet stays happy.
The bar is also hosting DJ nights every Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late, where you can sip on happy hour drinks from 4pm and get up to groove soon after. This spot gets busy, so keep an eye on their What's On page and book yourself a spot this weekend.
China Heights Exhibitions
Level 3, 16/28 Foster Street, Surry Hills | Wednesday–Saturdays, 12pm–5pm
Image credit: China Heights Gallery | Website
China Heights is a contemporary and independent art gallery set on bringing fresh creativity to the streets of Sydney. With a rotating exhibition program constantly in progress, you can enter for free to admire and be inspired by the newest artworks displayed.
There's also a catalogue of artworks available for purchase to anyone wanting to bring a piece of the gallery home. Whether it's a creative interest or a search for quality home decor, this gallery should be the next stop on your list.
Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
Editor's note: Urban List editors independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. Urban List has affiliate partnerships, and if you purchase something through the links in this article, we will earn a commission from those partners. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.